Join us as the Pride of Arkansas Tour crosses into southeastern states, home to many alumni and Razorback fans. Although the region is not Razorback Central, it is often hard to tell with all the Pride & Spirit the fans show Calling the Hogs loudly.
Pride of Arkansas Tour Enters Georgia
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
The Pride of Arkansas Tour entered the state of Georgia today with a reception in downtown Atlanta! Elizabeth Underwood, Associate Director, had departed Fayetteville on Sunday morning to attend the CASE (Council of Advancement in Support of Education) Conference. Elizabeth presented a session on Monday and facilitated a roundtable on Tuesday morning. On Tuesday afternoon she left the conference to meet with the Atlanta Chapter of the Arkansas Alumni Association. Also attending the conference and thus able to attend the Atlanta reception were Mark Power, Executive Director of Development; Rachel Neeley, Associate Director Annual Programs; Will Whiting, Assistant Director of Development; Emily Williams, Assistant Director of Development, and Jeanie Fox, Records and Data Services Manager. All six University staff enjoyed conversations with the 18 alumni at the event. The location, The Loft at Paschals, was a historic area in downtown Atlanta, where Martin Luther King Jr. had often frequented to give speeches during the Civil Rights Movement.
The group enjoyed the video, “The Razorback Family: Stories from Senior Walk”. Jenna Dare, Chapter President, helped to facilitate the door prizes and did a fantastic job in leading the group to Call the Hogs, which we did loudly! After the event the six of us crowded into the rental car with all the tour supplies, but not before several pictures were taken!!
Fans Come from Near & Far to Charlotte
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
After a successful Tuesday evening in Atlanta, followed by the conference culmination on Wednesday, Elizabeth left Atlanta at noon to drive to Charlotte. After an easy 4hr drive up Interstate 85, she arrived at Black Finn’s. This is a popular venue for alumni chapters; North Carolina State University had just finished a luncheon in our private room, and after our event there was a watch party for the Duke v. Carolina basketball game. In addition to the nice venue, the service and food was excellent.
Good luck continued through the event, as 21 alumni gathered for the evening reception of the Pride of Arkansas Tour. We had a couple drive over from Salisbury, and Elizabeth’s mother drove over from Greensboro. Everyone enjoyed mingling and watching the video, “The Razorback Family: Stories from Senior Walk”.
The Future Continues in Nashville
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Thursday morning began early, as Elizabeth left Charlotte at 8:00 a.m. to drive to Nashville. With a beautiful drive through the Blue Ridge and Great Smokey Mountains, she arrived at the Nashville site at 4 p.m., in time to set up for the reception. This reception was downtown at a local restaurant called “The Acorn”, very near to the Parthenon. Razorback fans had previously been here on an alumni road trip for the Vanderbilt football game in 2005. The staff remembered the Razorbacks and could not have shown more southern hospitality! We used the flat screen televisions on the second level to watch our video.
Pride of Arkansas Tour Photos on Flickr
We had 18 alumni, including a 2 year old future Razorback who drew names for our door prizes. We also had two recent graduates who had just moved to Nashville and were excited to meet fellow Arkansans and learn about the local chapter!
Brown Family Story in Birmingham
Friday, February 13, 2009
Friday the drive from Nashville to Birmingham was very pleasant. Interstate 65 is a straight shot and less then 2.5 hours. We had a private room in a local and eclectic restaurant, Lake View Oyster House. We enjoyed the tasty cuisine for lunch and then viewed Stories from Senior Walk. At this luncheon, we met with 15 alumni, including T. Lynn Brown and his family. After watching the video, Lynn told the group his story, which involved taking his son Cody (who was in attendance) up to Boston for a heart transplant. The Bostonian doctor was also a Razorback fan which comforted Colby prior to his surgery. Colby promised his father that once the operation was complete and he was awake, they would Call the Hogs together, which they did!! We were so glad the Brown family shared this story with us!
All The local chapter board members were all present, and Elizabeth awarded the Alabama Chapter with their Chapter Funding for their service in 2008. Though some alumni had to leave to return to work, others lingered for a while. The socialization was great and the chapter was glad to have been included as a stop on the Pride of Arkansas Tour!
Following the luncheon, Elizabeth drove back to Atlanta to catch a flight home. She is excited about next week… a van drive through Southern Arkansas!
We would love to hear what you thought about the Pride of Arkansas Tour!
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